Apparatus for the manufacture of expanded steel load bearing members



Oct. 13, 1931. H. M. GERSMAN PPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPANDEP-STEEL LOAD BEARING MEMBERS @Nx 1? K r y S, TQQ vs/MMM W MMS f. .Q 1mm m m ab rf .Y MMU! f h s www@ FMWUUH ,w b h.&\ W m/ im@ M a: ...W ,.1

w f ;Nel NMFA Emmi Odi. 13,v 1931. M GERSMAN 1,827,314 y i APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPANDED STEEL LOAD BEARING MEMBERS Filed Feb. 19, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Shets-She t ill-wijven fo r :.2

H. M. GERSMAN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPANDED STEEL LOAD BEARING MEMBERS Filed Feb. 19, 1925 oct. '13, 1931.

H. M. GERSMAN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPANDED STEEL LOAD BEARING MEMBERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 19, 1925 IHHIIIIIH or oiiicAeo, immers 'A i' rlhis invention relates Vto apparatus forV f the manufacture of expanded steel 'load bear-1 y Patented Oct. 13, 179361l HARVEY M. GERSMAN,

APPARATUS Fon THE'MANUFAcrUni .oriiXrAirniin smsen LOAD isiiAniive MEMBERS f yAppiieuoa inea February-ie, i925. sei-,mina 19,349.

ing members and more particularly to apparatus for the production of suoli members 1n integral form from a rolledstructural ,shape according Vt'o the' process which 'forms the subject of my pending application, Serial No. 7,764. f f

The principal objectoftheinvention is to 1 provide an apparatus by which the strand portions vofthe* blank can be completely stretched prior to the expansion ofthe blank andthe expansion'of the'blank' can be coming the strandpo'rtions.

f "of Figure l1, more particularly showing ypletely carried out without further stretch- The invention consistsgenerally in an ap' paratus having novel features` of structurel and organization' whichy are provided to lcarry out the operations above generally ref "ferred to and which will be set forth indetail as the description proceeds;r

Y -The accompanying drawings illustrate the apparatus diagrammatically but in sufficient detail to enable its principles of construction and'operationyvto be readily understood.'`- The drawings also illustrate` the completed 'beam andthe various stages of its manufacture, the

beam forming the subject of my pending application, Serial No.y 7,7 65. l

In said drawings:`

' Figure 1 isa diagrammatic side elevation of the apparatus, i

Figurev 2 is a diagrammatic top pla-n view ofthe saine. I y f i" y f Figure 3 is a cross section showing a prefei'iedformof blank." i f Figure 4 is a plan kView of aportion oftheblankJ" Figure 5 is a cross section on they line 5;-5

"phase of the slitting operation; Figure 6 is aplan viewfof afportion ofthe blank yconforming'to 'theoperation shown in rFigure'). I

. blank conforming to Figure 7 is a cross section'on kthe line 7-7 of Figure v1, `more vparticularly vshowing a .further phaseof the slittinggoperation.v Y

l Figure 8 is alplan view of ajport'onof the the operation shown in Figure 7 oii'theline 99-of Figure 8.kv Figure 10 is a HCross section'yon the line 'ing the operationofY the compensating rolls by whichthe bar or'strand portions producedy by the slittingof the blank are caused toy be of uniform thicknes'sfthrougliout their eX- tent. f

Figure 11 is ak plan view of aportion ofthe blank conforming to the operation y.shown Figure 10. v Y v o Figure 12 is afsectional view of the blank on the line 12-12 of Figure 11. The :deformation of the strand portions is shown yin this .1

figure on a- Vsomewhatl exaggerated vscale in order to promote clearness of illustration...v

Figure 9 is avsectivonalview ofthe blank" Figure 13 is a cross section on theline 137-13 of Figure 1, morel particularly show 'ingthel operation of the first eiqansionroll.v

' Figure 14 is a plan view of afportion ofthe blank conforming to the operation of Figure f ,'Fguregl is a sectionalk view of the blank onthe line 15-'415 of-Figure'14.r

the operation of the second` expansionfroll." Figure 17 is applanfview of a 'portionI of 4the' blank conforming toi the operation of Figure 16. y, p v

- Figure 18 is asectional- View of the blank on theline 18-18of'Figure y I n Figure v19 is ya cross sectional view kon the line 19-'-19 of *Figurev 1,*more particularly showing the operation' oflthejirst flattening roll. *A w blank and aniadjacent portion of the spreadL er conforming tothe operation' of Figure'lQ.

lFigure20'is planifiew of aiportion of' the I )Figure'21 is a sectionalview on vthe line 21e-21 l*of Figure 20, this view also showing lshowingjthe operation of the second flatten; ing roll.'A

thelower portion ofthe first flattening roll.` i i Figure 22 is a cross sectional viewY on the line 22-22 of Figure 1,l more particularly Figure 2311s a plan viewof'afportion ofthe blank. and an adjacent portion of the spreader y conforming to the operation of Figure 22.

Figure 16 is acrosssection on the'rline 16-16of Figure 1,`mor'e particularly showing? Figure 24C is a sectional vieu7 on the line 24T-24; of Figure 23, this View also showing the lower portion of the second flattening roll.

Figure 25 is a cross section on the line 25-25 of Figure 1, more particularly showing the operation of the third flattening roll.

Figure 26 is a plan vieW of a portion of the blank and an adjacent portion of the spreader conforming to the operation of Fig. ure 25.

Figure 27 is a sectional view on the line 27-27 of Figure 26, this View also showing the lower portion of the third flattening roll.

Figure 28 is a cross section on the line 28-28 of Figure 1', more particularly showing the operation of the fourth flattening roll.

Figure 29 is a plan View of a portion of the blank and an adjacent portion of the spreader conforming to the operation of Figure 28.

Figure 30 is a sectional view on the line 30-30 of Figure 29, this view also showing the lower portion of the fourth flattening roll.

Figure 31 is a cross .section on the line 31-31 of Figure 1, more particularly showing the final flattening and delivery rolls.

Figure 32 is a plan vien7 of a portion of the completed beam.

VFigure 33 is a sectional view on the line 33-33 of Figure 32.

Y Figure 34 is a detail view showing the formation and function of the rolls 5.

The drawings illustrate in detail the production ofa lattice truss and for most, if not all, practical purposes it Will be suiiicient if the'struts of the completed beam have a single line of intermediate bonds representing points of intersection, the remaining bonds being the connections between the struts and the chords. `The blank for such a beam Will have three longitudinal rows of slits arranged in the manner and relation of the slits provided in the blanks from which diamond mesh lath, so called, is producedthat is to say With the slits of each roW in symmetrically staggered or break-joint relation to the slits of the adjacent rovv or rovvs. While `the blank for such a beam may, as stated, be of regular I cross section it is preferably of a vmodified original cross section Which promotes the facility of the slitting operation, sucha blank, as B, being shown in F igures3 anda and being provided With parallel flanges 1 and a connecting web2 which has a Wide-angled V cross section that provides angularly related longitudinal web portions 2a, and 2b. l

rlhe operations in the order of their performance are slitting the blank, unifying the thickness of the bar or strand portions and the'interinedi ate bonds, stretching the bar or strand portions, and separating the flanges and pressing the stretched bar or strand portions and the intermediate bonds back into a single common plane. The several elements o-f the apparatus by Which these operations are carried out may, of course, be structurally varied. ris diagrainniatically shown, the apparatus includes slitting rolls 3 and il, strand unifying' or compensating rolls 5, stra-nd stretching rolls 6 and T, strand flattening rolls 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, the rolls 12 also serving as delivery rolls, a spreader 13 which is co-operative With the rolls 3, 9, l0 and 11, and feed rolls 14 which act on the flanges 1 and may be arranges as required or desirable, in some instances being mounted on the shafts of certain of the other rolls and in some instances being mounted on shafts specially provided therefor. The several shaftswvhich carry the rolls above enumerated lare indicated at 15 and are mounted in bearin for which housings 16 are provided, the shafts being positively driven froina line shaft (not shown) or otherwise suitably by gearing which is sufli ciently indicated bythe showing of a gear clementv 17 for each shaft.

The slittin o rolls mav be of an Well known Y, l :l -1 type. vwhile the slitting may be perrorined in single stage it is preferably performed iu tivo succ ive stages, the first stage by the rolls 3 and the second stage by the rolls 4l. ln the first stage (Figures and G) the blank is formed with the Vcentral row of slits l0() and inthe second stage (Figures 7, 8 and 9) with the outer row of slits 101,(thesebeing located close to the web. rllhe modifiedcross section of the blank is of advantage as will appear from Figures 5 and? in that the angle of the portions which are displaceddurin the slitting to the shearing edges is at no point greater than a right angle and this characteristic provides for greater facility in the slitting operation than is possible where, as in a blank of regular l form, certain portions of the Web which would be displaced during the slitting opera-tion would lie at an obtuse angle to the shearing edge. In tl e first stage of the slitting vas effected by the rolls 3 thc portion 2?) is moved into a plane normal to and located centrally of theflanges 1 and parts of the portion 2a (being those parts which provide the intermediate bonds)V are similarly displaced While the remaining parts of the portion 2a are heldin their original plane andV are thus severed from the adjacent parts of the portion 2b. In the second stage of the slitting as effected by the rollers 4l the parts of the portions 2avivhieh during the first stage were held in their original plane are moved into the same plane asthe portion 270, that is to say a plane normal to Vand located centrally of the flanges 1, and

from this common plane adjacent parts of both off the portions 2a and 27 are displaced into a common plane parallel to the plane from which the displacement started, the port-i ons so displaced being thus severed from the web along lines parallel and adjacent to the flanges and leaving in the'plane from which the displacement started those portions which provide the `bonds between Vthe struts 5 and the chords, i. e.,'tlie outer lines Vof bonds,

and rif, as preferred, the outer linesof slits be slightly distantfroin the flanges alsole'a-ving chord-portions of the web.V 'In Figures 8 and 9 therstrand lportions are indicated at 10, 102, the portions which provide the int'erme-` v diate bonds at 103. the portions which ,pro-.-

vide the bonds of the o-uter linesat`104@ and the chord port-ionsv at 105. f

. Thestrand portions 102 and the intermef ,15 diate bond. providing portions 103 are, vas' above explained, displaced incident tothe slitting operation inplanes parallel't the planes of the outer'bond providing portions u 104 and the chordportions 105.l In conse.-

- 2 quence of this displacement:the lengthV of the parts between successive `portions' 104, these part-s being two` strand portions 102 and an intermediate bond providing portion 103 lok'cated between them,V is greater thanfthe length'which these parts had prioi1 to' their displacement, that isto sayprior to the cutting of the/outer slits 101. f It follows that as an incident of thev slitting' operation there is somestretching ofthe metal ofthe displaced portions. This stretching` occurs in the parts by which thev displaced" poitionsfare connected totlie outer bond providing portions 104, these parts being shown in Figure V9 at-102mand beingv terminalparts ofthe'` .as strand portions 102'which extend diagonally fronithe straightparts ,of'such' strand porr-r not only be of unequalgthickne'ss at different ,45 points but'the parts stretched during the slitting voperation would be further attenuatedL during the lordered stretching opera, r

tion, offering as they do'less resistance tothe stretching forces than the remaining parts',

50 and woulditherefore bea source of weakness in the finished. beam. I therefore provide;V

for compensating y,the -stretch of the parts 102e by making all'parts of the bond providfing portions 103 and the strand portions 102 Y i 5.5 yof equal thickness, this end being best served by attenuating the intermediatel -bond-pro# viding portions l'103 and the flat parts of the strand. portions 102 prior'. to the'vordered lstretching operation whereby said flat parts 'anditheir connecting- 'portions 103 are increased in joverall length and arey reduced vto the same thickness 'as the 'connecting parts 102er. ,This operation is accomplished by a pair ofu'nifyingor compensating rolls 5onc 35, actingon the blanky from'l above and the other 'ness of illustration.'

v` fronibelow. V ll`he rolls 5 are formed with cooperatingtransverse corrugations which are shaped and arranged to deforin the displaced portions of the blank into sinuous outline asl shown in Figures 11 and v12, the parts 1026i L being included `in the sinuouscurve at any point of ywhich the metal is of the same thickness as' at any other point. I Thegeneral form .and arrangementof the 'rolls 5 isillustrated diagrammatically in Figure 1 and in greater detailin FigurcB/et.' The transverse corruvk gations above-mentioned are'provided in' cooperating series on the two rolls, the corru# gations yof each series vbeing designed and -arranged to produce the' preliminary strand formation shown in Figure 12, and'lto avoid any stretching of the panel point 'providing portions kof thevblanl. It `follows that between-the adjacent series of corrugations of each roll there will be breaks which constiL r tute inactive areas, and it is-obvious that in vproducingthe preliminary strand formation shown in Figure 12v a series of corrugz'itionsy on one roll will interinatchwith and coop'- f eratewith correspondingseriesfof corruga- 1L tions 'on' the otherl roll, and that thel break of one roll will registerv peripherally'with the break ofthe otherv roll during the period when a panel point providing portiony passes between the rolls; The result ofthe operation of the rolls formed and arraiigediin the mannerv described is the `formation showii'inV Figuref12, wherein those strand providing portionswhich are connected by an intermev Vdiate bond'providing portion are, together withsuch--bond Vproviding portions uniformly preliminarily stretched. lt is to be 'noted that the deformation of the strand portions is shown AinFigures 11 and 12A on a somewhat exaggerated scale in order to promote clears The stretching operation follows theo'per'- ation'of thecompensatingfrolls and isprefer'- ably performed in more than vone stage, two

stages being provided forinthev apparatus if# disclosed. The Vstretc'ihing operation is` so'- `performed that the intermediate bond vproi viding portions 103 are oifset lin paths atl righ-t Y angles toy the 'mean longitudinal plane of the` web with the result that the adjacent i strand portions at opposite sides ofthe several slits t 100 while remaining in parallel relation y.are

stretchedproportionately to thelfincrease in 1 vthe distance between their endsfy as' measured gby their. points yof connection with the respec tive bond providing portions 103 and 104.

feo

aft j proceedingv in thismanner thebendiiig' of i ing'portions vis-ralong transverse lines `f and 4the i' stretching forces" are applied' -at`ri'ght vrthe strands ywheretlieyfjoin thebond provid,- V. i

angles to these transverselbendinglines with Y :the 'result 'that there is" no possibility of tear-` ingl `Various. mechanical agenciesiriay be lemployed `rfor offsetting the bond-providing portions 103 in order vtovstretch' they .strand ,135% f i .Cl v

isb

portions 102. As shown in the drawings the means for this purpose consists of the rolls 6 and 7 which are provided with suitable teeth as shown. These rolls are arranged whereby their teeth enter the angle of the convolution of which the portion 103 provides the apeX. As shown in Figure 12 this angle faces downward and the rolls 6 and Z are accordingly arranged to engage the blank from below. The teeth of the roll 6 act in the first stage of the stretching operation and are therefore of less depth than the teeth of the roll 7 by which the stretching operation is completed. At the completion of the first stage of the stretching operation, as shown in Figure 15, the strand portions 102 have been straightened from the sinuous form which they had when the operation started and have been stretched to a partial extent. nrt the completion of the second stage of the stretching operation, as shown in Figure 13, the strand portions have been stretched to the degree which may have been determined upon and each stretched part which includes an intermediate bond providing portion and the strand portions thereby connected is displaced into substantial xl-form.

The next step is the expansion of the blanlr into the completed structural section. This involves operations merely for the production of open work and does not involve any sensible stretching of any of the parts. ln the expansion of the blank the strand portions are subjected to a two-fold displacement operation, that is to say, they are bent outward relatively toene another so as to extend divergingly from the common bond and they are also pushed back` into the central longitudinal plane of the web, in short, flattened. These operations are accomplished by moving the flanges of theblank relatively outward and at the same time applying pressure to the offset bond providing portions to move them and the strands back int-o the central longitudinal plane of the web. By pressing the offset bond providing portions back toward the central longitudinal plane of the web while the flanges are being spread, the rate at which the bond providing portions are pressed back being proportional to the rate at which the flanges are spread or slightly greater, further stretching of the strands avoided and at the same time all liability of tearing the strands in the directions of the slits is avoided. VThe flattening of theV displaced parts may be effected by various means, the drawings illustrating for this purpose a series of rolls 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 by which the operation is completed successive stages. The relative outward movement of the flanges may be effected by various means but is preferably effected by the spreader plate 13 which is employed in yco'- operation with the rolls 3, 9, 10 and 11, the web passing over the plate 13 which is thus i above.

used as a support and the flattening rolls engaging the displaced parts of the web from The plate 13 has a close fit between the flanges 1 of the blank and its sides are regularly divergent whereby said plate regularly increases from a width corresponding to that of the web at the end of the strand stretching operation to the width which it is intended that the web shall have in the finished beam, the diverging. sides of the plate "1 f:

13 acting on the flanges 1 during the travel of the blank to cause an increase in the mutual spacing of said flanges corresponding to the regular increase inthe width of the spreader.

'llhe operation of the lirst of the flattening rolls is illustrated in Figures 19, 20 and 21 from which it will be observed that the roll 8 has applied pressure to the adjacent portion 103 and forced the same to a lower plane, the flanges 1 have moved relatively outward to a slight degree by the spreader 13 'and the strand portions 102 have adjusted or accomniodated themselves to the altered positions of the portion 103 and the flanges 1, the laterally adjacentV strand portions now extending from the portion 103 at a slight angle to one another and the longitudinally opposite strand portions now extending from the portion 103 at anincreased angle to one another. The operation ofy the second flattening roll 9 is similarly illustrated in Figures 22, 23and 24: from which it will be observed that the portion 103 has been forced to a position somewhat below that of Figure 21, the nlutual spacing of the flanges 1 has been further increased and that the strand portions have.

ating rolls 12. The spreader 13 proiects for some distance in advance of the fourth flattening roll 11 and as ytl e blank is4 fed forward from this roll a further increase in the spacing of the flanges 1 is effected by the spreader; it-passes beyond the spreader. At this time the flanges 1 have been spaced to trie extent determined upon and the flattening the stretched disiilaced portions has been nearly completed. The oflice ofthe rolls 1 2 is. there fore, to perform the final stepof bringing the displ Iced portions uniformly into the central longitudinal plane of the web and to, give a desirable -linish to the completed beam. Taese rolls are therefore shaped and proportioned The rolls 12 act on'the blank vas Frio to act on all parts of tlieweb and areo'perative to deliver the `completedstructural member which is shownin Figures 32and83;

y The machinejdescribed produces a beam expanded from ra rolled v structural 'shape Vin Which all of the partsl displac'edby'j the eit-` pansion lie in thefcentral longitudinalplane of the beam, thelstructure beingintegral member. Y l.

` Having fully described `my invention, I

- throughout. yIn the lcoi'npleted Y product the' strands 102x are of equal thickness through-` out their extent, the intermediate bonds 103x are of equal vthickness,vviththe s trandsand the outer bonds 104e" are of somevvhatgreater thickness than the strands'sincethey fare not subject toany stretching and therefore give a greater factor of safety to the structural claim o 1. In apparatus for'themanufacture lof an" lexpanded steel loadbearing member from La rolled `shape slitted'to vprovide strand portions, opposed. cooperating` rolls having circumferentially lspaced y'ribs' ei'igageable with parts of said strand'portionsfto displace said partsin a direct-ion at a'right angle to the original central longitudinal planeof the slitlast mentioned vmeans for pressing the lstrand portions yback into the-plane from ywhich they were displaced bythe stretchingoperation.v 2; Inapparatus lfor the-manufacture ofan expanded steel load 'bearing yi'n'ember' from arrolled sliape'slittedto provide strand por;-

tions, opposed'cooperating rolls havin'gfcin" cumfe'rentiallyy spaced ribs engageable; with parts of said strand portions progressively to l l `have been stretchechi and vmeans operating f displace said parts'inadirectionat right angle .to they originalvjcentral vlongitu:dinal plane of the slittedportionof the-shape and by such displacement progressively to stretch the strand portionsfsaid displaced parts being sinuous in outline, means for increasing `the Width of the shape after the'strand `portions have been stretched, and means yoperating duringthe operationof the last mentioned 1 in a longitudinal plane Wholly? at right angles means for pressing the strandportions backinto the plane 4fromfvvhich,tl`iey.jwere dis-,

placed by the .stretching-operation;

In apparat sfor the manufacture` of an expanded vsteel load bearing memberr from-av.kv rolled shape Vslitted to provide strandp'or--ftions., in combination;,opposed cooperating rolls having `cireumfe'rentially spaced s ribs for displacing partsof the strandI portions to the-originaloentral longitudinal plane of the slitted portionfof the shape andfby such displacement stretching the strand portions in sinuous outline to the' lfullj eXtent of their e-Iapparatus feit, expanded steelload bearing member'fr'o'm fj, rolledshape'slitted toprovide strandpo tions,-fin1 combinatiii,means 4'for'deforrriing f Vthe unite'a'ken'edVv strand'portions in sinuous 3J -l outline to provide strands of uniform thicklength KVin4` the expanded inember, means for producinga continuousfeeding movenient'of ltliefshape'means for increas-ingI the Width of the shape after lthe 'strand portions have been? Y stretched 'fand L ineans2x'operating; during the ope,"

plane from Whichztliey "We stretchingr operation.

ness, means subsequently acting on thestrand `'portions to stretch themv means for increasing the Width ofthe shape after the strand,

lportions have been stretched, and means op kerating f duringV the operation l of `the lastl l.named nieansfor pressing the strand'portionsf back into the plane y,from which they `rlwere displaced bythe strething-` operation.l

' '5. In apparatus for the manufactureof an' expanded steel load bearing memberfroma rolledsliape slitted to provide; strandfporj` manufacture ani displaced 'bythe `tion s, in combination, means for 'stretching`1 in sinuous outline in the direction oftheir n len g h the strand portions, means for increasiiigthe Width of the shape after the strand` portions have been stretched, and means opn erating',V duringthe` operation of the last named means for'pressing the strandportions back. into the plane fromvvhich they were displacedr by the' stietclii.ng operation.

ico"v 6. In apparatus for-themanufactureof tions, in combinatio'inmeans' for lstretching in expanded steel load bearing member from a" .rolled shape slittedvto provide'strand poryidth of the shape afterthe strandportions yduring the operation of the last named means and ata. rate proportionate to thevstretchingl expanded steel load bearingnieniber from a portions, means for progressivelyincreasying the Widthv ofthe shape after the strand portions havey been stretched, and means op-j erating during the4 yoperation of theV last*vr named meansfor progressively pressing the.l 'o ystrand .portions back intothe plane from which they v'Were' displaced-1th@ Stretching 0peratio n'. v Y f i v 8'. In apparatus fortlie manufacture ofany expanded steel loadv bearingv member/from a rolled shape -slitted to provide strand 'por-l tions, means for stretching in sinuous outline in the direction of their length the strand portion, means for progressively increasing the VWidth of the shape after the strand portions have been stretched, means operating during the operation of the last named means for` progressively pressing the strand portions back into the planefrom which they were displaced by the stretching operation, and means for continuously feeding the shape 'l -ifn rllation to the several means above set ort In testimony vvliereof I alx my signature.

HARVEY M. GERSMAN. 

